New vehicles announced by Chinese automakers claim to allow drivers to remove their hands from the wheel.
According to Reuters, Chinese automakers Zeekr Group, XPeng, and Guangzhou Automobile Group have revealed plans to release “L3-ready autonomous driving capabilities, a shift for the sector that has so far only had L2 systems.” This system currently ranges from L1 (cruise control) to L5 (fully self-driving vehicles).
L3 vehicles allow drivers to take their eyes off the road and their hands off the wheel, but are not so autonomous that drivers aren’t expected to be able to retake control of the vehicle if necessary.
This advanced technology has only been trialled, so XPeng’s plans to have L4 vehicles available by 2026 is impressive. L4 vehicles still have an option for manual override, but their automation is designed to work in most situations, per Synopsys.
China has focused heavily on the development of EVs, investing almost $850 million into new tech, and the country is set to become the world’s largest market for electric vehicles.
In addition to their amazing technological advancements, electric vehicles are a brilliant way to protect the planet and your wallet.
Though purchasing a new EV is expensive, you will save money on routine maintenance, as you’ll never have to shell out for an oil change again. You’ll also save money on expensive dirty fuel. Additionally, the quieter engines and lack of tailpipe pollution on electric cars could lead to a cleaner future.
Some have concerns about the pollution created by manufacturing EVs and mining for elements needed for EV batteries. It’s true there is some pollution involved, but much, much less than what’s caused by traditional cars.
For example, Sustainability By Numbers has reported that around 30 million tons of minerals have to be dug up each year for a transition to clean energy. That sounds daunting, but when compared to the 15 billion tons of dirty fuels that we currently dig up annually, it is easy to see that the environmental impact of EVs is far smaller.
Though EVs are not the perfect solution to cutting carbon emissions from transportation, making your next car an EV is a feasible option to reduce humanity’s damaging reliance on gasoline and diesel.
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According to Reuters, “Zeekr, Xpeng and Guangzhou Automobile Group will need regulatory approval before drivers will be able to use the level three features in their cars.”
The report also added that “automakers will take legal responsibility for traffic accidents in the event of L3 system failures.”
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